Toy vehicle



Dec. 4,1923. 7 1,476,294

A. c. GILBERT TOY VEHI OLE Filed June 26. 1919 2 SheetsSheet 1 Dec. 41923.

A. C. GILBERT TOYQVEHICLE Filed June 26 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J6 4a 40Swuewtoz Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

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ALFRED C. GILBERT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB, TO THE A. C.GILBERT I COMPANY, OF NEW fiAvENpCifillll'EfiTlCUT, COE-IPORATIQN 0FCONNECTICUT.

TOY VEHICLE.

Application m an. as, 1919. Serial No. 306,773.

To all who met may concern:

Be it known that l, A F ED C. GILBnn'r, a citizen oi the United States,residing in New Haven, county of New Haven, State or Connecticut, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in To vVehicles, of which thefollowing is a full clear, and exact description. J 1

This invention relates to toy vehicles of the knockdown type andmoreparticularly to toy vehicles of the'general class described in myapplications Serial Nos. 281,970; 290,312; 283,698 and 292,877. Thepresent application is a continuation in part of my application SerialNo. 288,698 filed Mar. 20, 1919.

One of the objects of the present invention is to furnish improvementswhich are of special advantage in a knockdown wheeled toy. The inventionis not limited to wheeled toys, however, for certain {eatures areapplicable to structures having runners, such as sleds.

More particularly, my invention aims to furnish an" improved type ofknockdown body for a toy vehicle, and more especially a toy vehicle ofthe class having a seat adapted to be straddled by the child, with afixed axle for supporting the body at the rear, and a movably supported.wheel or wheels at the front for steering. The invention also purposesthe provision of certain features'of improvement in connection with themounting of the rear axle of such a vehicle. p

To these and other ends the invention consistsin the novel features andcombinationsof parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

Inthe accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 isa perspectiveview of a vehicle embodying my improvements; v

Fig. 2 is a difi'erent perspective view of the same; g V

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation with the steering post broken away;

F ig. 4 is a rear elevation ofthe parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5,is a top plan view of the body proper, on which the seat issupported;

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation showmg the mounting of the rear axle; and

Fig. 7 ,is a section through the parts shown in Fig. 6.

In its general features the vehicle comprises a body proper 10, a seat11 supported vehicle. A suitable steering'element, such 1 as across bar16 fixed to the upper end 01' the post, permits the ground wheel 15 tobe readily turned to the right or left. The wheel 15 is supported fromthe lower end of the steering post by straps 17 as described in myapplication Serial No. 283,698 above mentioned.

The body 10 is formed of a plurality of detachable longitudinallyextending elongated elements 18. In the example shown, three of theseare used in forming the body. They are of the kind described" in theapplication just mentioned, each preferably consisting of a wooden stickof substantially square cross section having two longitudinal series ofequally spaced holes or perforations-l9. The holes of one series extendat right angles to the holes of the other se ries, and correspondingholes intersect each other. The body pieces are detachably boltedtogether by transverse bolts 20 extending through certain of thehorizontal registering holes of said pieces. The bolts are provided withnuts 21 and Washers 22, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6. I Theheads or the bolts are slotted or grooved so that a'screw driver can beused for ready assemblage and detachment of the parts. In the particularexample'shown, two bolts '20 are used for clamping the three stickstogether detachably in the relation stated.

The elongated members 18 when clamped together form a rigid body on topof which the seat member 11 is supported. The steering post 14: issimilar to the members 18, being perforated in the same way.

The swivel connection between the body and steering post includes aV-shapedstrap or bracket 23. The larger end of the V is lowermost andits inturned perforated tel minals 24: are detachably secured to theoutside body pieces 18 by bolts 25 similar to the outside body members.Between the terminals of the V-shaped strap an angle strap 26 is appliedto the forward end of the middle body member at the under surface of theupper part of the bracket. Extending rearwardly and clownwardly from theupper part of the bracket 23 the strap 28 has a portion 30 detaohablysecured to the middle body member on top of the rear end of the strap 26by means of the bolt 27 previously mentioned. The straps 26, 28 haveupwardly bent angular portions with parallel forward ends 26", 28.Between these forward ends is interposed a rearwardly projectingU-shaped clip 31, applied by short bolts 32 to the rear face of thesteering post. The rearwardly projecting lugs of the clip 31 areprovided with perforations which register with perforations in the frontends of the portions 26 28 of the angle straps, and a swivel bolt 33completes the assemblage.

The seat member llis shaped at its lower surface to rest on and conformto the upper portion of the bracket 23 and it is held in place by theshort bolt 29 previously mentioned, which bolt passes throughregistering perforations in the seat member, transverse bracket 23 andthe longitudinal angle piece 28. At its rear end the seat member issupported on top of the body by means of a bracket 34 similar to thebracket 23, but

arranged longitudinally of the vehicle instead of transversely. Theinturned perforated terminals at the lower end of the bracket 34 aredetachably secured to the middle body element by bolts 35 which passdownwardly through vertical perforations at therear end portion of sa1delement. The seat member 1s secured to the upper portlon of bracket 34by a short bolt 36 which extends downwardly through a perforation in theseat member and aregistering perforation in the upper intermediatev partof said bracket. The arrangement is such that the seat member issupported substantially. above the body 10, in spaced relation' thereto.The front end portion of the seat member is narrowed so that it can bestraddled comfortably. I

At the rear of the body 10 and supported therefrom isthe axle 12carrying the wheels 13. The axle has a detachable mounting on thevehicle including a pair of spaced metal straps 36 similar to the straps23, 34. The brackets or straps 36 extend longitudinally of the body withthe upper surfaces of the inturned perforated ends or lugs of thebrackets in contact with the lower surfaces of the outside body members18. The perforation of one terminal lug of each bracket 36 registerswith the rear end vertical perforation of the corresponding body member,while the perforation of the other lug of the bracket registers withanother perforation of the corresponding outside body member. Bolts 37pass through the registering perforations and secure the bracket-s 36detachably to the body.

Applied to the lower portions of the brackets 36 are small U-shapedclips 38. Each of these clips has a perforation in its intermediateportion adapted to register with the perforation in the intermediateportion of the corresponding bracket; and a suitable locking device isemployed. In the.

form shown the locking device comprises a U-shaped clip 41 similar tothe clips 38,- but smaller, so that it will fit fairly snugly within oneof the latter clips. The legs of the a locking clip have holes fittingover the axle and the intermediate portion of the locking clip isprovided with a clamping screw 42 which looks the clip 41 tightly on theaxle By this arrangement it is impossible for the axle to shiftlengthwise to any appreciable extent.

Each wheel 13 is mounted to rotate 'on one of the projecting ends of theaxle and suitable devices are employed for limiting the movement of thewheels lengthwise of the axle. I

By my invention I provide a very simple vehicle construction of theknockdown type. A toy of this character is very interesting to childrenbecause, in additionto the entertainment that can be derived from theuse thereof, considerable interest attaches to the assembling and thedisassembling of the parts. The'parts can be assembled in variousrelations and the structures which can be builtare strong andserviceable.

Various changes may be made in the de tails of the parts and thegeneralconstruction herein described without departing from the scope of myinvention as defined in the claims.

I do not claim broadly herein features broadly claimed in the priorapplications above mentioned.

What I claim is:

1. In a toy vehicle, a body member having rear ground engaging devicessecured thereto, a seat member secured thereon in spaced relation tosaid body member, a steering member disposed forwardly of said seat andbody members and having a ground-engaging device thereon, and meansrigidly secured to the body member, and passing between it and the seatand extending forwardly from the seat and body members and having aswiveled connection with the steering member to movably connect thelatter to the body member.

2. In a toy vehicle, a body member having rear ground engaging devicessecured thereto, a seat member secured thereon in spaced relation tosaid body member, a forward steering member having a ground engagingdevice thereon, and means secured to the body member, and passingbetween it and the seat to movably connect the steering member to thebody member, said means belng secured both to said seat and bodymembers. i

3. In a toy vehicle, a body member having rear ground supports thereon,said body member comprising a plurality of elongated members detachablysecured together, a seat supported above and in spaced relation to thebody member and connected to a plurality of the body member elementstoas sist in securing them together, a steering member disposedforwardly of the seat and body member and spaced connecting strapsswiveled upon the steering member and extending rearwardly therefrom forconnection with said body member and seat.

i 4. In a toy vehicle, a body member havspaced connecting strapsswiveled to the ends of said clip and extending rearwardly forconnection with said body member and seat.

5. In a toy such as described, a body member formed of a plurality ofelongated elements secured together, brackets detachably secured on theupper and lower surfaces of said body, a seat supported upon thebrackets on the upper surface and a ground engaging device supported bythe brackets on the lower surface, one of said seat supporting bracketsbeing connected to a plurality of the body elements.

6. In a toy such as described, a body member, comprising a pluralityofelongated elements detachably secured together, substantiallyidentical brackets detachably secured on the upper and lower surfacesthere of, the brackets on the upper surface supporting a seat and thoseon the lower surface supporting a wheel structure, one of said seatsupporting brackets being connected to a plurality of said body elementsto assist in securing them together.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 4th day of June,1919.

ALFRED C. GILBERT.

